by Lisa Cooke | Dec 21, 2015 | 01 What's New, Holidays, Inspiration, Listeners & Readers, Writing Family History
Why not share the gift of family history story in this year’s Christmas letter or holiday cards?
Genealogy Gems podcast listener Catherine just sent in this fantastic idea about including family history in her annual Christmas letter. I thought I’d share it while it can inspire those whose holiday cards or letters are still on their “to-do” list. (Already done? Think about it for next year!) Here’s what she wrote:
“I’ve always been intimidated by the idea of writing [family history]: where to begin, what to write about, what to include, how to say it. When it was time to sit down and write the family Christmas letter and not having much to report, it struck me. Why not write a family history letter to the cousins about our common maternal Grandfather?
It may not be an original idea but it was new to me, so, deep breath, I took the plunge and the result was a letter that I truly enjoyed writing. I included some fun facts from immigration records and census information, family pictures, a couple of stories and even Google Earth pictures from my Gramp’s birthplace in ‘the Old Country.’ I sourced the letter and added webpage links in case I hooked someone into wanting to know more.”
Thank you Lisa for speaking about Google Earth Pro and my new best friend, Evernote for Genealogy! I can’t wait to see what the family reaction will be. I’m planning some follow up letters and may even go for the big one (gulp)–a blog! I was so inspired I even made two of your wreaths, one for my mother-in-law and one for my best friend, also a genealogy junkie.”
Wow, I love to see how Catherine has taken what I’ve been teaching–from keeping track of sources in Evernote to making wreaths–and RUNNING with it! She says, “Thanks for the great ideas, inspiration and support,” but I want to thank HER for writing in with her enthusiasm and clever ideas. I LOVE the idea of adding the gift of family history–complete with crowd-pleasing Google Earth pictures and proper citations–to your annual Christmas letter. That’s on MY list for next year!
Take These Ideas and Run with Them Yourself with These Helpful How-Tos:
Using Google Earth for Genealogy
Using Evernote for Genealogy
How to Start a Family History Blog
by Lisa Cooke | Oct 20, 2013 | 01 What's New, History, Maps
A recent blog post at slate.com caught my eye because it features a map from the genealogists-love-it David Rumsey map collection. But what captured my attention was the story the unfolded behind the foldable map itself. I think you’ll love it!
Blogger Rebecca Onion uses a 1929 souvenir map of the United States to tell the story of early commercial air traffic–specifically the story of the origins
Rumsey TAT map
of airline giant TWA. Apparently early “transcontinental flights,” as they were advertised, were sight-seeing tours with short flights interspersed by train rides to the next flight location. The map featured in her blog post was a souvenir of one of these passengers, who added his own colorful comments on his experience.
This fun post is part aviation history, part map-lover trivia. The story unfolds even more in a short video documentary on Transcontinental Air Transport I’ve added below. It includes cool aerial shots and more on how the early air transport industry, er, got off the ground.
And don’t forget to use maps (storied or just the plain informational types) in your family history research! These can help you find your way around ancestral hometowns, chart migration routes as they would have and otherwise see the world (literally) in the same ways they did. David Rumsey’s map collection is one of the best online collections out there, with free access to over 44,000 high-resolution historical maps.
Learn more about how to use the David Rumsey historic map collection in conjunction with Google Earth by watching my free video class Google Earth for Genealogy.
My Genealogist’s Google Toolbox Kit, is a value bundle that includes my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox and Volumes I and II of Google Earth for Genealogy (on video CD). And right now the kit is available for 20% off!
by Lisa Cooke | May 8, 2013 | 01 What's New, Maps
Opening pages of rare 1905 Sanborn Map of San Francisco, showing city just before 1906 earthquake. Find the entire map book at the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
Genealogists rely on historical maps to help us navigate the geography of our ancestors’ lives. One of the most important resources available online is the David Rumsey Map Collection. Well, Rumsey recently announced on his website that he will be making more than 38,000 of his historical maps–everything he’s currently got online–available at the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).
I blogged recently about the DPLA, which aims to create an enormous, free digital library we can all access online. It will be great to have the Rumsey map collection searchable on the DPLA so we can search these maps while we look for any other sources on any particular location our ancestors lived. “Maps tell stories that complement texts, images, and other resources found in the growing DPLA library,” says Rumsey. “And the open content policies of my online library fit perfectly with DPLA’s mission to make cultural resources freely available to all.” He applauds what the DPLA is trying to accomplish and even encourages other collectors to donate content.
Rumsey has spent years collecting thousands of old maps and putting them online. Now he’s working to share them even more widely. His entire collection of about 150,000 maps will eventually be housed at Stanford University. Meanwhile, we can all enjoy the thousands of images we can search on his site or at the DPLA.
Google’s free program Google Earth includes nearly 150 historic maps in the Layers panel. You can also add historic maps downloaded from Rumsey’s site to Google Earth by using the Overlay feature. My video tutorial series called Google Earth for Genealogy will show you how. You can also get step-by-step instructions in my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox. Or get them all in a discounted bundle.
by Lisa Cooke | Apr 9, 2015 | 01 What's New, Maps, Volunteer
The Beaver Map, 1715. By Special Collections Toronto Public Library. Flickr, via Wikimedia Commons.
Recently I’ve seen two calls for volunteers to help “georeference” old maps. Basically, you’re tagging the maps in a way similar to tagging photos of people on social media sites. This makes finding old maps online easier and more accurate. It also allows sites to overlay the old and new maps. “Some places have changed significantly or disappeared completely, creating a puzzle that reveals an exciting contrast,” explains the British Library.
These two sites are asking for volunteers:
The British Library Online Gallery. The British Library is asking for volunteers to help georeference 50,000 maps it’s put online. Go right to the site and you’ll see the invitation to help on the home page. You’ll also see that you can click on a tab to search maps that are already georeferenced! The British Library tells its volunteers: “Your name will be credited, and your efforts will significantly improve public access to these collections. Contributors can see the results of their work, as well as the progress of the pilot and other participants, and the top contributor will be publicly announced.”
David Rumsey Historical Maps. This mega-maps site is also looking for volunteers to help add locations to its online map collections. On the home page, click on the left where it says Georeferencer: Help Add Location to Maps.
We blog about maps a lot here at Genealogy Gems. To learn more about using old maps online and for genealogy, go to our home page and search on the Maps category on the lower left side of the page. Additionally, Genealogy Gems Premium members have access to full-length video classes like these:
Not a Genealogy Gems Premium member? Click here to become one!
by Lisa Cooke | Sep 5, 2016 | 01 What's New, Conferences
Attend Lisa’s upcoming seminars and Google your way to genius! Both the North Texas Genealogical Association and the Genealogy Friends of Plano host Lisa this month. She is presenting some fantastic, genealogy-packed lectures you won’t want to miss.
Lisa’s Upcoming Seminar in Wichita Falls
The North Texas Genealogical Association is going big with their upcoming seminar on Saturday, September 10, 2016. Our own Google Guru, Lisa, is presenting the lectures for their fall workshop being held at the First United Methodist Church at 909 10th St. in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Lecture titles include:
- “Google Tools and Procedures”
- “Get the Scoop: Newspapers”
- “Inner Private Eye: 9 Strategies”
- “Google Earth for Genealogy”
The doors open at 9 am and the seminar will conclude at 3:30 pm. A light lunch will be included with the price of registration. Early registration has been extended through TODAY September 5th and the cost is $45.00. Registration after September 5th, and at the door, will be $55.00. You can download the registration form here.
Lisa’s Upcoming Seminar in Plano
The Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc. are also hosting a seminar this month with Lisa! Join attendees at the First Presbyterian Church Plano on 1500 Jupiter Rd. in Plano, Texas. This genealogy smorgasbord of lectures will be held on Saturday, September 17th.
Lecture titles include:
- “Ultimate Google Search Strategies”
- “How to Find Your Family History in Newspapers”
- “Time Travel with Google Earth”
- “How to Reopen and Work a Genealogical Cold Case”
Early registration before September 12th is $45 for members or $50 for non-members. If you miss the early registration deadline, you can still attend! Price of admission after September 12th and at the door will be $50.00 for both members and non-members.
For a schedule of the day and a registration form, click here. The Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries ask that you bring your own lunch, but they will provide lemonade, coffee, and tea.
Keep Up with All of Lisa’s Upcoming Lectures
Photo Credit: Ancestry Insider
She’s a jet setter folks! If you are like me, you want to stay up-to-date on where Lisa will be speaking and when you are lucky enough to have her in your area. See her entire seminar schedule here. Why not share the schedule with your genealogy buddies and meet for a fun weekend trip. Nothing beats a little genealogy with friends!
